Monday, October 02, 2006

Thinking It Through

So here is the Democratic playbook for exploiting the Foley scandal to the maximum possible political advantage.

Given what we know, what we don't know, and what we don't know we don't know, it seems strangely premature for The Washington Times to demand Hastert's resignation.

After all, at this point, it seems that Hastert knew only about the emails, rather than the shockingly explicit instant messages that Foley was exchanging with a 16 year old Congressional page. At this point, the Drudge Report is saying that the New York Times will report that the FBI had the emails (not the IMs) for some time, but found no grounds upon which to prosecute.

If that's the case -- again, if, because we really don't know -- then Hastert had the same information the FBI did; upon what grounds was he to take action? After all, had he tried to drive Foley from the House on the grounds of non-criminal emails, couldn't Foley have cried "homophobia" . . . and wouldn't that have been a call that would have met with some sympathy from the Democrats?

6 Comments:

This story is too young and it's waaaaay tooooo early for wrath andjudgement. Let's all take a breath and let a lot more of the facts come out. There's plenty of time for finger pointing later and I'm sure that there is PLENTY of blame to go around for BOTH parties, and all involved.

You're kidding me, right? Does something have to be criminal in order to take action? What a joke. It is obvious, even from the emails, that Foley was communicating in a way he shouldn't have been with kids in an intern program. That is unacceptable. Taking no action on it is unacceptable as well. Maybe if they took action on the emails, they would have gotten to the IMs. The Democrats trying to exploit this for political gain are sick, and the Repubs who are trying to defend this for political gain are equally sick. Forget politics, we are talking about kids here.

We are absolutely talking politics here. The strategy is the same as their war,or should I say anti-war strategy. As in any real situation, humans make errors. Wait for the opening, Attack, do some damage, elaborate on the damage, magnify it, draw a bit of blood and hope the enemy (that would be the troops in the war zone and in this case the group in power or Republicans) will cut and run. The troops, Rummy, Hastert they don't care....they should all cut and run.

It certainly is easier to win the upcoming number of seats they hope to win if they can just drum the opposition out with bad press continuing daily. With larger and larger headlines and wilder accusations and screaming demands for the heads of the opposition. Yes I said it. The playbook is the same for both the Islamofascists and the Dems and the press holds the bullhorn on the top of the truck which is driving up and down the streets of all of our towns. It's torture I tell you.

Jason, you're kidding me right? Why the hyperventilating and heated rush to judgement????? There is plenty of blame to go around for the DEMS as well. Why did the dems sit on these E-mails for several months before acting on this, if it's, "for the children" (16 and 17 year olds, are not children) and why did the FBI say that there was NO CASE without MORE EVIDENCE!!!!!!! Slow way down and wait for more of the story to come out, before getting out the dogs and torches, OK?

Foley is not Hastert's employee. Voters put Foley where he was. Did the voters know Foley was a pervert? Apparently not. I didn't. Anyway, given Foley is not Hastert's employee what power does he have over him? Yes, Hastert has to protect the House pages. He apparently told Foley to knock it off. Didn't work, obviously, but when did Hastert know it didn't work? Recently, apparently. Put yourself in Hastert's shoes. He has a lot on his plate and he's supposed to oversee the conduct of 435 other elected representatives?